Discretionary Payments

If your benefits don’t cover the full amount of your rent or council tax, you could receive a discretionary payment

Discretionary payments are awards, not benefit payments. The awards are usually only made for a short time, they are not a long-term solution.

You can only apply for a discretionary payment if you are currently entitled to Housing Benefit or Local Council Tax support. We will usually pay it with any Housing Benefit Payment or pay it directly into your council tax account.

You can ask us to look at our decision again if you don’t agree with the amount we’ve given you. You should write to us within one calendar month of the date on the decision letter, explaining why you disagree.

Report a change in circumstance

If your circumstances change, you must write to us straight away. We will look at your Discretionary Payment again to see if we need to change it. If the change means we have to reduce your Discretionary Payment, you might have to pay back some or all of the Discretionary Payments we have already paid you.